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If you could change one rule at Pershing Early Learning Center, what would it be?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
416
Elementary
DISTRICT 455 · STATE 381
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·DECATUR SD 61·NCES 171185005582
Pershing Early Learning Center
2912 N University Ave, Decatur, IL 62526 · (217) 362-3301 · Macon County
GRADES PK–PKELEMENTARY13-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL416 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
26.0:1
16 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 18.3:1 · STATE 13.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
81%
339 students
DISTRICT 81% · STATE 56%
Community
4
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 416 | 100% |
Student demographics
68%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 69% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Schools most like Pershing Early Learning Center
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pershing Early Learning Center this school | 416 | 81.5% | N/A |
| Parrish Elementary School Carbondale | 466 | 79.4% | N/A |
| Muffley Elementary School Decatur | 386 | 84.5% | 10.8% |
| Union Elementary School Belleville | 432 | 78.0% | 36.5% |
| Whittier Primary School Peoria | 366 | 79.5% | 24.1% |
| Thomas Elementary School Carbondale | 400 | 75.0% | 18.6% |
Matched among Illinois elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Pershing Early Learning Center ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Illinois | In Macon County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 416 | #928 of 2,419 | #12 of 19 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 26.0:1 | #2,018 of 2,035 | #17 of 18 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 68.3% | #215 of 2,042 | #2 of 18 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 81.5% | #479 of 2,132 | #9 of 19 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -17.0% | #573 of 1,461 | #1 of 7 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
416
-36 (-8%) vs 2020
+60% since 2000-01, when it was 260
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 416 | 16 | 26.0:1 | 81% (339) |
| 2023-24 | 375 | 14 | 26.8:1 | 67% (253) |
| 2022-23 | 389 | 10.8 | 35.9:1 | 77% (299) |
| 2020-21 | 452 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 501 | 20 | 25.1:1 | 76% (383) |
| 2015-16 | 529 | 12 | 44.1:1 | 52% (275) |
| 2010-11 | 441 | 10 | 44.1:1 | 0% (0) |
| 2000-01 | 260 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Pershing Early Learning Center.
Since 2017-18: students down 17% (501 to 416); teachers down 20% (20 to 16).
About Pershing Early Learning Center
Pershing Early Learning Center is an elementary school in Decatur, Illinois, reachable at (217) 362-3301. School enrollment was 416 students in 2024-25, in pre-K.
Decatur SD 61 enrolls 7,840 students, and its 15 schools include Pershing Early Learning Center.
By race and ethnicity, the largest group at Pershing Early Learning Center is Black (47%). Enrollment also includes 23% White, 19% multiracial, and 9% Hispanic. The school's Black share is 31 points above the 16% share among Macon County residents. By the diversity index, Pershing Early Learning Center comes in at 68%.
Teachers at Pershing Early Learning Center total 16 full-time equivalents, and the ratio is 26.0:1. The 13.9:1 average for elementary schools in Illinois is lower than this school's figure. The school counts 339 students as eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, or 81%. Among public schools in Macon County, the average eligibility rate is 61%.
Census Bureau estimates for Macon County show that median household income is about $62,666, roughly 24% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Pershing Early Learning Center is one of 43 public schools in Macon County, which together enroll about 14,702 students.
The shortest distance from Pershing Early Learning Center to another public school is about 0.8 miles, to Franklin Grove Elementary School. A five-mile radius around the school includes at least 8 other public schools.
The school is inside a principal city with a population under 100,000, according to its NCES locale (City: Small).
Pershing Early Learning Center saw enrollment fall 8% between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
The discussion area below is open to posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Macon County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
101,849
Census ACS
Median income
$62,666
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
24%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
10%
Below federal line
Schools in county
43
14,702 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Decatur SD 61
- MacArthur High SchoolHigh · 1,059 students
- Eisenhower High SchoolHigh · 909 students
- Johns Hill Magnet SchoolElementary · 627 students
- Montessori Academy for PeaceElementary · 586 students
- Dennis Lab SchoolElementary · 579 students
- Parsons Elementary SchoolElementary · 505 students
Other schools in Decatur
- MacArthur High SchoolHigh · 1,059 students
- Eisenhower High SchoolHigh · 909 students
- Johns Hill Magnet SchoolElementary · 627 students
- Montessori Academy for PeaceElementary · 586 students
- Dennis Lab SchoolElementary · 579 students
- Parsons Elementary SchoolElementary · 505 students
Nearby schools
- Franklin Grove Elementary School0.8 mi · 461
- Parsons Elementary School0.9 mi · 505
- MacArthur High School1.5 mi · 1,059
- Stephen Decatur Middle School1.9 mi · 413
- Hope Academy2.4 mi · 501
- Robertson Charter School2.9 mi · 327
Frequently asked questions
About Pershing Early Learning CenterHow large is Pershing Early Learning Center?
Pershing Early Learning Center enrolls approximately 416 students in grades PK-PK.
Is Pershing Early Learning Center an elementary, middle, or high school?
Pershing Early Learning Center is an elementary school covering grades PK-PK.
How many teachers does Pershing Early Learning Center have?
Pershing Early Learning Center employs 16 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 26.0:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Pershing Early Learning Center?
At Pershing Early Learning Center, the student body is approximately 23% White, 9% Hispanic, 47% Black, 2% Asian, 19% Two or more.
Is Pershing Early Learning Center public or private?
Pershing Early Learning Center is a public K-12 school, overseen by Decatur SD 61.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.